summer pond

[ElJefe]

I'm wanting to build a pond outside this spring for my rtc, aro, and my IR shark. for now the plan is to put the outside for the summer. have to see what knid of deal i can get on a heater large enough... i was thinking 10'x10'x3'. I'm debating on above ground or below i might go half and half!!. My question is for people who have built a pond already, what are some key factors that you'd change how you did or would even do completly different?
oh i live in the sticks so no deed restrictions i live on almost 5 acres

 

[frasertheking]

if your heating it inground is better as soil is a good insalator .


also you will want to build a good cover or greenhose around it was it will save you a ton on heating . on a large pond a boiler system should work out cheaper to run over all . not sure on cost of gas in texas .

 

[ElJefe]

if your heating it inground is better as soil is a good insalator .


also you will want to build a good cover or greenhose around it was it will save you a ton on heating . on a large pond a boiler system should work out cheaper to run over all . not sure on cost of gas in texas .

thanks for the reply.
that was the reason i was going to make half in the ground and half out.
on the part that was above ground use the foam board as insulation on it.
i want some of it above ground so i can make a canopy, to keep things out of it and the fish in when i'm not there.
as far as heating i think if if insulate it good enough and keep it covered that it'll stay warm with a little help from a few heaters.
winters here aren't that cold. it's december and 50 deg F last few winters we really didn't have a hard freeze. it stayed a "freezing temps" for three or four days then was in the mid 50's

 

[Muske]

One thing I see and hear from people is "I wish I'd gone bigger".
This is one thing to consider. I have a small yard so mine was built to allow for a lawn area for the dog, planting beds for trees and shrubs, and an area for a brick patio next to the pond. If I lived on 5 acres, my girlfriend would leave me. So just plan everything out, then do it again. Bigger will always be better, expecially w/ the pump.

 

[ElJefe]

One thing I see and hear from people is "I wish I'd gone bigger".
This is one thing to consider. I have a small yard so mine was built to allow for a lawn area for the dog, planting beds for trees and shrubs, and an area for a brick patio next to the pond. If I lived on 5 acres, my girlfriend would leave me. So just plan everything out, then do it again. Bigger will always be better, expecially w/ the pump.

i measured it out yesterday and i think i'm going to do a 13x13x3/4
haven't for sure decided on the depth part either 3' or 4' which is best?
deeper better? i want them to feel at home and comortable just bieng in the open and not afraid to come out, i don't want it to be so shallow that they'll always hide...
i'm like the idea of 13x13 seems good size but to overly large.
i want to build up the sides a foot or two off the ground and use flagstone for a little eye appeal. so it don't just look like a hole in the ground.

would a 20mil liner be good enough?

 

[Muske]

I use 45-mil. EPDM w/underlayment for ponds w/goldfish and gravel bottoms. If "bigger is better", I would think "thicker is better". You don't want to take a chance w/ a big cat gauging a liner.